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Bow Ties

We’re counting down the crucial pre-Christmas shopping days with a series called Gifted Givers, in which friends old and new share their thoughts on stylishly spirited giving and receiving.

If there’s one thing that separates the boys from the men, it’s accessories. A classic tie, a just-right scarf. A pocket square round. Enter Alexander Olch, he of the distinctively shapely and perfectly fabricated furnishings. The New York-based designer’s attention to detail makes him just the kind of guy we need when it comes to style advice and gifting acumen.

Inspired by our new Summer Suiting Guide, we decided to apply our five favorite looks to real-life situations. You know, the important ones—when T-shirts and shorts simply won’t cut it. Here’s how to look your best this summer, when the stakes are as high as the temperature.

1. SUMMER IN THE CITY. We were about to suggest this kit for the warm-weather “morale-booster” benevolent bosses often pencil in around now—but seriously, this is what most of us should wear to work all summer long. Lightweight blazer + clean-cut jeans + a pop of color = business casual done right.

Beverage of Choice: Local microbrews, if your workplace knows how to plan a party. Otherwise: Sparkling cider it is.

Pro Tip: See that buttonhole on your jacket lapel? It does in fact serve a purpose. Drop in a lapel pin for extra style points.

2. BRUNCH DATE. Breakfast in baggy sweats is for amateurs. Play your cards right—with a shirt that buttons, shoes that aren’t sneakers, and a “third piece” (i.e., a vest, blazer or cardigan) to tie it all together—and that special someone you’re meeting for breakfast might stick around for dinner, too.

3. YACHT CLUB. The blazer-with-shorts look is everywhere as of late—but we can’t think of a scenario it’s more befitting than a classy affair on the water. Don’t own a boat (or have a friend or father-in-law who does)? The same rig would be spot-on for a dinner date at a high-end seafood spot.

5. OUTDOOR WEDDING. The last thing summer-wedding attire should be is stuffy, so ditch dark colors in favor of lightweight seersucker (shown) or cotton khaki. The punchy red tie above could prove a bit much; opt for a bow tie in subtler hues if you prefer not to upstage the man of the hour.

Beverage of Choice: Champagne, if you’re wooing bridesmaids. The champagne of beers, if you’re chilling with the groomsmen.

Pro Tip: Beach wedding? Skip the shoes but keep the suit. Just because the groom’s uncle is wearing a Hawaiian shirt, doesn’t make it right.

Of all the menswear bloggers-slash-stylists-slash-photographers running loose and making moves in NYC these days, Noah Emrich is one of the best. His photos are ridiculously captivating even when the subjects are just his friends on random Brooklyn rooftops. So when he gets a chance to shoot some of the world’s preeminent street-style icons at a high-profile event like the CFDA Awards, the results are inevitably something special.